Code of Conduct

Rationale

To this end, a school is a place that promotes responsibility,
respect, civility, and academic excellence in a safe learning
and teaching environment.

All students, parents, teachers, and staff have the right to
be safe and feel safe in their school community. Every student
has the right to an education without disruption and a corresponding
responsibility not to deny this right to any other student. With
this right also comes the responsibility to be law-abiding citizens
and to be accountable for actions that put at risk the safety
of others or oneself. All members of the school community are
to be treated with respect and are expected to use non-violent
means to resolve conflicts.

The School Code of Conduct sets clear standards for behaviour
in order to promote a positive educational atmosphere for all.
To this end, the learning environment must be free from abuse,
bullying, discrimination, intimidation, hateful words and deeds,
and physical violence in any form. The standards of behaviour
in the Code of Conduct apply not only to students, but also to
all individuals involved in the publicly funded system (parents/guardians,
volunteers, teachers, and other staff members) whether they are
on school property, on school buses, or at school-authorized
events or activities.

The information in this booklet outlines roles and responsibilities,
standards of behaviour, and consequences for unacceptable behaviour.
Also included are the mandatory consequences outlined in the ï¿½Ontario
Schools: Code of Conductï¿½ legislated by the provincial
government.

Standards of Behaviour

A school is a place
that promotes responsibility, respect, civility and academic
excellence
in a safe learning
and teaching
environment.
Ministry of Education for
the Province of Ontario
Code of Conduct, p. 1

A. Respect, Civility and Responsible Citizenship

All school members must:

show respect for themselves, for others, and for those
in authority, addressing people in a polite and courteous manner;

show
respect for themselves and others by avoiding inappropriate
public displays of affection;

show respect for themselves and
others by using acceptable language and by avoiding racist,
profane, or obscene comments;

show respect for the property of
others and of the school;

refrain from bringing
anything to school that may compromise the safety
of others;

follow the established rules and take responsibility for
their own actions.

In addition, all students must:

come to school
prepared, having all the necessary supplies as well as all
homework and assignments completed;

come to school on time, being
accountable for work or assignments missed due to absences or lateness;

come
to school ready to learn with a positive attitude, participate
in activities, be industrious in all assignments, and strive
for excellence

B. Physical Safety

Physical Aggression

All students must:

follow the ï¿½Hands
Offï¿½ Policy at Edith Cavell;

seek staff assistance, if
necessary, to resolve conflicts peacefully;

not engage in rough
play, bullying, fighting, and physically and verbally abusive
behaviour;

not inflict or encourage others to inflict bodily
harm to another person;

refrain from throwing snowballs on or
in the proximity of the school
grounds.

Action Plan:

removal from playground for a specific period of
time

parental contact/meeting
and removal from playground for a specific period of time

exclusion from optional activities

involvement of resource personnel

removal from classroom and provided
with an alternate program supervised by the office, followed by parental
contact/meeting

out of school
suspension for a specific period of time

Weapons

All students must:

not be in possession of
any weapon including, but not limited to, firearms, explosive
materials, and firecrackers;

not use any object to threaten or
intimidate another person;

not cause injury to any person with
an object.

Action Plan

confiscation of prohibited materials

out of school suspension
for a specific period of time

Alcohol, Cigarettes and Drugs

All students must not:

be in possession of,
or under the influence of, or provide others with alcohol,
cigarettes, or illegal drugs (mandatory suspension);

be in possession of matches
or lighters.

Action Plan:

confiscation of prohibited materials

removal from playground
for a specific period of time

exclusion from optional activities

removal from classroom and
provided with an alternate program supervised by the office
followed by parental contact/meeting

out of school suspension

C. Destruction of Property

All students must not:

deface, damage, or destroy
any equipment or other property that is not their own.

Action Plan:

removal from playground for a
specific period of time

monetary restitution for damages along
with parent contact/meeting

School Routines

A pupil shall . . .

attend classes punctually and regularly;

be courteous to fellow
pupils and obedient and courteous to teachers;

be clean in person
and habits;

take such examinations as are required;

show respect for school
property.
Ontario Regulation 298 s.23

Attendance and Punctuality

All school members must:

arrive at school
punctually and attend regularly.

Action Plan:

parent contact

letter of notice

referral to attendance officer

referral to outside agencies

Arrival and Departure

All students must:

walk bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and roller blades to
and from the street when arriving on or leaving school property;

upon arrival, go directly to the assigned area while waiting
for the
bell to ring;

use the entrance designated for their classroom;

leave the building
promptly at noon-hour and after school by the designated
exit or report promptly to the activity permitted by the co-instructional
program;

move quickly and quietly to all classes in the time allotted.

Action Plan:

removal from playground for a
specific period of time

confiscation of property with parental
involvement/contact

Lunchroom Routines

All students must:

sit quietly and eat their
lunch in a mannerly fashion;

ensure that food is eaten only in
assigned areas and at appropriate times;

clear their tables and deposit garbage into the appropriate
container(s);

remain on school property during lunch unless picked
up by parents or permission to leave has been requested in
writing (with date and signature)
by parent and/or guardian and granted by the school office;

not bring cell phones, hard balls,
hockey sticks, baseball bats, and rackets to school, except
when permitted as part of a school program;

not use skateboards, bicycles,
roller blades, and scooters on school property;

behave in a manner
that is conducive to the learning, safety, and respect of
self and others;

be accountable for participation in learning and
assessment activities.

Action Plan:

confiscation of item

removal from playground for a specific period
of time

parental contact or meeting

Dress Code

We believe that student dress should be appropriate to an academic setting
and contribute to an overall positive image of our school.

To create a consistent approach to school dress and to enhance an educational
environment and tone conducive to the achievement of excellence, the following
rules concerning student dress have been adopted and applied to both male and
female attire. This dress code will have a minimum impact or influence on most
students since the vast majority of students presently dress in a fashion that
complies with these rules. The stated rules serve to answer questions and confirm
decisions made by teachers, students, and parents about appropriate school
dress.

Hats or head-coverings (bandanas, wave caps, hoods, visors, etc.)
are to be removed before entering the school or participating in indoor field
trips and/or indoor activities. Head dresses or head coverings worn for religious
or medical purposes are exempt.
This social and traditional sign of respect and courtesy is not only
a point of established Canadian etiquette, but has also proven to be
a good security
practice which allows quick and easy identification of students and/or
trespassers. As a result, its inclusion in school dress codes is wide-spread
in the majority
of the Boardï¿½s schools.

Metal spike studded collars, wrist bands, etc.,
and ï¿½hardwareï¿½ chains
(used as wallet chains or jewellery) are not to be present in the school,
on school sponsored field trips, or during activities.
These items can serve as open displays of potential weapons and contribute
to an intimidating school atmosphere.

Halter-tops, tube tops, tank tops (excluding
school athletic team uniforms that are worn in game and/or practice
situations), muscle shirts, and see-through
or mesh tops (unless worn with an undershirt) are not to be worn at
school. Blouses, shirts, or tops that reveal bare backs, midriffs, or undergarments
or that have spaghetti straps or revealing necklines are not to be
worn
at school or on field trips.

Shorts and skirts are to be of a length that
is appropriate to a school environment and activity and that do not reveal
undergarments in the normal
range of movement.

Low riding pants, shorts, or skirts are to be worn above
the hip points and in such a fashion that undergarments are not revealed.
The bottom on
the pant
should rest on the top of the shoe and not be of a length that
allows students to walk on them (for safety reasons).

Clothing which advertises or
promotes drugs, violence, or racism or that displays obscene, distasteful,
or hurtful messages are not to be worn
in school or in
any of its activities or field trips.

No ï¿½gangï¿½ associated
clothing, symbol, or paraphernalia is to be worn or displayed
in the school, in school activities, on field trips, or on
school property.

Students are expected to dress appropriately for
the weather. All outdoor use coats and jackets are to be placed in designated
areas until
the student leaves
the school.

Action Plan:

reversal of clothing

removal of inappropriate accessories

parental contact or meeting

The final decision as to the appropriateness of dress will be decided by the
principal/vice principal or designate. If issues of attire continue, parents
will be contacted. The dress code will be reviewed annually by the staff and
the School Advisory Council

Responses to Behaviour

The District School Board of Niagara
believes that the primary aim of discipline is for all students to acquire
positive skills and attitudes
associated with responsible conduct.
District School Board of Niagara
Administrative Procedures, AP3-11

Responses to inappropriate behaviour will be determined by the nature and
frequency of the behaviour. Responses may take two forms:

removal from classroom and provided with an alternate
program supervised by the office followed by parental contact/meeting

suspension
from school for major or repeated offenses ranging from 1 to 20 days

expulsion
for extremely serious offenses (under Board authority)

Corrective practices will not necessarily be imposed in sequential order
but will depend greatly on the severity of the behaviour. It is important to
note that parent consultation will take place whenever the misbehaviour is
of a serious nature.